Consultancy Team
Principal Consultants
Kolone is an economist and finance expert who has extensive experience in public and private sector policy development and management as a result of a professional career at various senior and executive level positions in the Government of Samoa and from various consultancy works undertaken in the Pacific region since 1990. Principal Consultant and former Financial Secretary for the Government of Samoa (1984-1990) and current Chairman of the Unit Trust of Samoa (UTOS). Kolone has been involved in the institutional reviews of PFTAC, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the Pacific Immigration Directors Conference (PIDC) and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) as well as various private sector initiatives including the Aggie Greys Beach Resort. Kolone has held several Chairmanship positions including Chairman of the Central Bank of Samoa (1998 – 2001) and the Samoa National Provident Fund (1984-1990).
Naomi is principally involved in investment and finance activities; private sector development at enterprise level; business, strategic, sector planning; and advisory services and venture capital fund management. In addition to her areas of expertise Naomi has a niche portfolio of various tourism and hotel developments in Samoa, where her strengths are a no nonsense approach to business providing clients with holistic financial information that will lead to business success. Naomi has a Graduate Certificate in Corporate Management from Deakin University, Australia and a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Accountancy and Economics) from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
Chief Executive Officer KVAConsult
Nadia joined KVAConsult in 2009 from the Ministry of Finance for the Government of Samoa where she was the Samoa Water Sector Support Project Manager for the EU. Nadia’s strengths are in high level economic, finance and public policy analysis and communicating clients’ complex needs into logical frameworks that will guide policy decisions and outcomes. She has a Masters in International Business from Deakin University and a Bachelor of Commerce (Major: International Business, Minor: Economics, Marketing) from Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Senior Consultant and Chief Executive Officer PVCM
Rachel has a portfolio in commercial retail and project management. She presently leads that KVAConsult Project Accounting team for the Samoa Aviation Investment Programme and provides procurement and finance services as part of the Project Management Services Team for the World Bank funded PPCR ECR. Rachel was also the Project Manager for the Samoa Telecommunications and Postal Sector Reform Project for the World Bank. Core to the management team, Rachel has dual roles as Senior Consultant and as the CEO of Pacific Venture Capital Managers (PVCM) the enterprise planning and private sector management arm and subsidiary of KVAConsult. Rachel’s strengths are in gathering complex financial information and articulating advice for client’s to base their business decisions on. Rachel has a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and International Business) from the University of Auckland and is a Chartered Accountant.
Senior Consultant
- Sosefina Talauta-Tualaulelei
Sose joined the KVAConsult Team in 2016 after 14 years with the Ministry of Health as Senior Health Planner, Principal Policy Analyst, HR Development and Administration and more recently as the ACEO of Corporate Services. Sose’s strengths are in public health policy, strategic planning, financial and asset management and information management. Sose has been involved in the CBA for the Samoa Health Information System, the Samoa Communications Sector Plan and is presently the M&E Database Specialist for the Project Management Services Team for the World Bank funded PPCR ECR. Sose has a Masters of Health Services Management from the University of NSW and a Bachelor of Social Work from Massey University.
Policy Data Analyst
- Darvitt (Brian) Hunt
Darvitt completed his internship with KVAConsult in October 2018 and joined the team as Policy Data Analyst specializing in Public Sector Policy/Development and Climate Resilience. Darvitt is a key member of the KVAConsult Project Management Services Team for the World Bank funded PPCR ECR. He is responsible for project M&E and database design and management. He has also been involved in the design and implementation of stakeholder surveys to increase direct private sector engagement in accessing international/regional climate change financing facilities. Darvitt holds a Bachelor of Business from the Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
Policy Data Analyst
- Nicola Aiono
Nicola joined KVAConsult in early 2019 upon successful completion of her studies. Since joining the firm, she has been a core part of the data analytics team and has been involved in the design and implementation of stakeholder surveys to increase direct private sector engagement in accessing international/regional climate change financing facilities. Nicola holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Development Studies and International Relations from Victoria University , New Zealand.
POLICY DATA ANALYST
- Renee Afele-Passi
Renee completed her internship with KVAConsult in May 2022 and joined the team as Policy Data Analyst specializing in Finance and Investment. She is a key member of the data analytics team and has been responsible for the data profiling and analytical assessments for a wide range of assignments including review of regional strategies, donor funded private sector programmes and tourism. Renee is completing her Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago, New Zealand.
Corporate & Executive Support Officer
- Mariaolelosalio (Maria) Petelo
Maria joined KVAConsult in 2016 after a career in the construction industry in Samoa, Singapore and Australia as well as teaching in Thailand and China. Maria’s key strengths are in project administration, logistics and coordination, research and data collection. In addition to the corporate and administrative support provided to the KVAConsult Team and network of consultants, Maria is also responsible for the maintenance and compliance of the annual ISO certification and audit. Maria in her role as Community Specialist has been involved in the Independent Review of the Tokelau Economic Development Policy, the PPCR ECR Project Management Services Team, the Samoa Diagnostic Trade Integration Study Update and the JICA Ex Post Evaluation of the Programme for Improving the Weather Forecasting System and Meteorological Warning Facilities.
KVAConsult 